McAliskey injury not as serious as first feared

Tyrone attacker Connor McAliskey’s ankle injury is not as serious as initially feared, it emerged on Tuesday.
The Clonoe man suffered what was reported to be a break in a championship game on Sunday night, but it has been confirmed as a dislocation.
The 27-year-old, who was the Red Hands’ top scorer in this year’s Championship series, suffered the injury in the second half of his club’s one point defeat to Ardboe at Coalisland.
His season is over, but the less severe nature of the injury means he is likely to be able to return on schedule to pre-season preparation for Tyrone’s 2019 campaign.
Meanwhile, disquiet over the throw-in times of last weekend’s Tyrone SFC fixtures has led to changes to this weekend’s schedule.
The problems arose due to a directive that extra-time, rather than a replay, is to be played in the event of a draw in all fixtures.
Extra-time in the curtain-raiser to Friday night’s meeting of Trillick and Donaghmore led to a delayed throw-in, with the result that the Healy Park tie did not end until 10.44pm.
A day later, the Galbally v Pomeroy tie at Dunmoyle went to extra-time, and with no floodlights at the venue, the closing stages were played out ion virtual darkness.
This weekend, afternoon games have been brought forward by 30 minutes, while evening ties at venues with no floodlights will start an hour earlier than originally scheduled.